The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 15, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 10, 2000
Dennis H. Gibson, Chillicothe, IL (US);
Jerry A. Wear, East Peoria, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc, Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
In one case of hydraulically actuated fuel injection systems, the engine lubricating oil is utilized as the hydraulic medium to actuate the individual fuel injectors. In a typical example, these fuel injectors are fluidly connected to a common rail that is maintained a relatively high pressure when the engine is running. When the engine is turned off, the oil in the common rail both drops in pressure and in temperature. As this occurs, a thermal contraction effect takes place. This lost volume is made up by an oil replenishing reservoir that captures some of the engine lubricating oil that finds its way into the chamber defined by the engine head and valve cover. A check valve is positioned between the oil replenishing reservoir and the common rail so that the two are isolated from one another while the engine is running. At free start, shorter engine cranking times are encountered because the hydraulically actuated fuel injection system can come up to full pressure substantially faster.